JP2005168540A - Internal pressure regulator for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an internal pressure regulator for an endoscope which allows the endoscope to be immersed in a medicine solution safely by preventing opening of a check valve when the endoscope is immersed in the warm medicine solution or the like. <P>SOLUTION: When a valve opening adaptor 50 is attached to the check valve 10, the internal pressure regulator for an endoscope closes the check valve 10 when the pressure of the inside of the endoscope is lower than that of the outside and opens the check valve 10 when the pressure of the inside of the endoscope is higher than that of the outside. The internal pressure regulator is further provided with a means 22b for forcibly maintaining a closing status which, when the valve opening adaptor 50 is not attached to the check valve 10, forcibly keeps the check valve 10 in a closing state so that the check valve 10 does not open even the pressure of the inside of the endoscope is higher than that of the outside. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an internal pressure adjusting device provided in an endoscope that may be sterilized by an autoclave, ethylene oxide gas (EOG), or the like.

  In order to perform ethylene oxide gas, autoclave, etc. to sterilize an endoscope, it is necessary to temporarily depressurize the sterilization chamber containing the endoscope, and the endoscope has a structure that can withstand such a low pressure environment. There is a need to.

  The problem here is that the most flexible part of the exterior of the endoscope, for example, a tube covered with a curved part, which is generally formed of rubber, may swell and burst during decompression. It is.

  Therefore, a check valve that prevents gas from passing from the inside of the endoscope to the outside and does not pass gas from the outside to the inside of the endoscope is provided. Further, steam, gas, washing water or the like is prevented from entering the endoscope during sterilization or cleaning.

  However, with such a structure, the endoscope's internal pressure remains lower than the atmospheric pressure even after the endoscope has been sterilized. There is a possibility that it may be in a state of being caught between the members and causing a failure.

  Therefore, conventionally, during the sterilization process, a valve opening adapter that is detachable from the check valve is attached to the check valve, and after the sterilization process is completed, the check valve is camped while the valve opening adapter is being removed from the check valve. The mechanism is forcibly opened so that the inside and outside of the endoscope communicate with each other.

  However, in the method of attaching and detaching the valve opening adapter to the check valve after sterilization, there is a risk of forgetting to attach and detach the valve opening adapter. It has to be.

Therefore, the check valve is closed when the inside of the endoscope is at a lower pressure than the outside with the valve opening adapter attached, and is opened when the inside of the endoscope is at a higher pressure than the outside ( For example, Patent Document 1).
JP 10-328132 A

  In the conventional endoscope internal pressure adjusting device as described above, when the valve opening adapter is not attached to the check valve, the inside of the endoscope is exactly the same as the state where the valve opening adapter is attached. When the pressure is higher than the outside, the check valve opens. Therefore, when the endoscope is immersed in warm chemicals, the internal pressure of the endoscope rises and the check valve opens.As a result, chemicals flow into the endoscope and cause a serious failure. There was a case.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope that can safely perform immersion of a medical solution in an endoscope so that the check valve does not open when the endoscope is immersed in a warm chemical solution or the like. The purpose is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, the endoscope internal pressure adjustment device according to the present invention opens the valve to a check valve provided on the outer wall portion of the endoscope in which the outer wall partitioning from the outside is all hermetically configured. When the adapter is detachably attached and the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve, the check valve closes when the inside of the endoscope is at a lower pressure than the outside, and the inside of the endoscope is at a higher pressure than the outside. In the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope configured so that the check valve is forcibly opened during the process of opening the check valve and removing the valve opening adapter from the check valve, the valve opening adapter When the check valve is not attached to the check valve, the check valve is forcibly maintained closed so that the check valve does not open even if the pressure inside the endoscope is higher than the external pressure. Closed state forced maintenance means is provided.

  The check valve is formed with a cam groove for engaging with a drive pin connected to the valve body to open and close the valve body, and the valve opening adapter is attached to and detached from the check valve. Accordingly, the engagement state between the drive pin and the cam groove may be changed.

  In that case, the cam groove does not forcibly regulate the position of the drive pin in the state where the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve, and the valve opening adapter is in the process of being attached to and detached from the check valve. The position of the drive pin is forcibly restricted so that the check valve is open, and the position of the drive pin is set so that the check valve is closed when the valve opening adapter is removed from the check valve. It may be formed in a shape that is forcibly restricted.

  According to the present invention, when the valve opening adapter is not attached to the check valve, the check valve is forced so that the check valve does not open even if the pressure inside the endoscope is higher than the outside. Since the closed-state forced maintenance means for maintaining the closed state is provided, the check valve does not open even when the endoscope is immersed in warm chemicals, etc. It can be carried out.

  When the valve opening adapter is not attached to the check valve, the check valve is forcibly kept closed so that the check valve does not open even if the pressure inside the endoscope is higher than the outside. Closed state forced maintenance means is provided.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 3 shows the overall configuration of the endoscope. A bending portion that can be bent by a remote operation by an operation lever 3 provided on the operation portion 1 is provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion 2 connected to the operation portion 1. 4 is provided. The curved portion 4 is covered with a flexible rubber tube.

  A light guide connector 7 detachably connected to a light source device (not shown) is attached to the distal end of the flexible connecting tube 6 extending from the operation unit 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes an eyepiece, which is unnecessary in the case of an electronic endoscope.

  In this endoscope, the partition walls that are partitioned from the outside are all hermetically configured by packing, O-rings, and the like, and the insides are in communication with each other. The light guide connector 7 is provided with a check valve 10 for adjusting the pressure inside the endoscope at the time of sterilization with ethylene oxide gas, autoclave or the like, and is detachably attached to the check valve 10. An open adapter 50 is provided.

  When the valve opening adapter 50 is attached, the check valve 10 opens when the pressure inside the endoscope becomes higher than the outside and allows gas to pass from the inside to the outside. When the pressure inside the endoscope is lower than the outside Is closed and does not allow gas to pass from the outside to the inside.

  FIGS. 1 and 4 show a state where the valve opening adapter 50 is not attached to the check valve 10 and a state where the check valve 10 is attached. The check valve 10 is externally attached from the outer wall of the light guide connector 7 that partitions the exterior and interior of the endoscope. In the vicinity of the outer end of the substantially cylindrical valve seat forming member 14 provided so as to protrude in the direction, a valve seat 14a having a shape that tapers outward is formed. Reference numeral 13 denotes an O-ring for sealing.

  An engaging pin 12 for engaging with a guide groove 53 of a valve opening adapter 50 to be described later is disposed on the outer wall surface of the adapter receiving cylinder 11 that is fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the valve seat forming member 14 and fixed with screws. It protrudes toward the direction.

  The valve body 15 is disposed in the valve seat forming member 14 so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable around the axis, and is provided in an O-ring 16 in a circular groove formed in a tapered surface portion facing the valve seat 14a. Is installed.

  Therefore, when the O-ring 16 is pressed against the valve seat 14a, the check valve 10 is closed and the space between the inside and the outside of the endoscope is completely closed. When the O-ring 16 moves away from the valve seat 14a, the inside and the outside of the endoscope communicate with each other through the gap.

  A drive groove 15a for engaging a valve opening adapter 50 (described later) to rotate the valve body 15 about its axis is opened on the outer surface of the outer end portion of the valve body 15 located outside the valve seat 14a. It is also formed to serve as a vent.

  The valve body 15 is urged by a compression coil spring 17 in a direction in which the O-ring 16 is pressed against the valve seat 14 a and the check valve 10 is closed, and the valve body 15 resists the urging force of the compression coil spring 17. A drive pin 19 for forcibly opening the check valve 10 from the outside by pushing up is provided on the side surface in the vicinity of the inner end of the valve body 15.

  A spring receiving cylinder 18 that receives one end of the compression coil spring 17 is connected and fixed to the inner end portion of the valve body 15 by a drive pin 19. The spring receiving cylinder 18 is loosely fitted in the valve seat forming member 14, but can be moved forward and backward in the axial direction integrally with the valve body 15, and a plurality of ventilation grooves are formed in the outer peripheral portion in the direction parallel to the axial line. 18a is formed.

  A cam groove 22 for driving the drive pin 19 is formed on the side wall of the cylindrical portion of the valve seat forming member 14. As shown in the development view of FIG. 2, the cam groove 22 is formed with a chevron cam surface on the lower surface against which the drive pin 19 is pressed by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17.

  The cam groove 22 is an angle cam so that the movement of the drive pin 19 ″ accompanying the opening / closing operation of the valve body 15 is not restricted when the valve opening adapter 50 is attached to the check valve 10. It is formed in a shape opened upward from the bottom of the surface, and 22a is that portion.

  The intermediate portion of the cam surface of the chevron of the cam groove 22 pushes up the drive pin 19 ′ that has come to that position against the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 so as to force the valve body 15 to open. To work.

  The drive pin 19 is located at a position where the drive pin 19 is engaged when the valve opening adapter 50 is rotated to a predetermined maximum rotation angle θ in a direction in which the valve opening adapter 50 is detached from the check valve 10. A pin abutting portion 22 b (closed state forced maintenance means) that prevents the valve from moving to the valve open state is formed on the upper surface of the cam groove 22.

  In the check valve 10 configured as described above, when the valve opening adapter 50 is attached, the O-ring 16 of the valve body 15 is pressed against the valve seat 14a by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17 and is closed. When the pressure outside the endoscope drops more than a certain level from the internal pressure, the valve body 15 is pushed outward by the differential pressure, resulting in a valve open state in which a gap is formed between the valve seat 14a and the O-ring 16. Become.

  At a position where the valve body 15 is being rotated to the maximum rotation angle θ in the direction in which the valve opening adapter 50 is removed, the drive pin 19 ′ at that position is pushed up by the chevron-shaped cam surface of the cam groove 22. The ring 16 is separated from the valve seat 14a, the check valve 10 is forcibly opened, and a forced open state is established in which the inside and outside of the endoscope communicate with each other.

  When the valve body 15 is further rotated to the maximum rotation angle θ in the removal direction of the valve opening adapter 50, the drive pin 19 descends the slope of the angled cam surface and the valve body 15 gradually approaches the valve seat 14a. The O-ring 16 of the valve body 15 is pressed against the valve seat 14a by the urging force of the compression coil spring 17, and the check valve 10 returns to the closed state, and the movement of the drive pin 19 in the opening direction is performed by the pin contact portion 22b. It is blocked and the forced closed state is maintained.

  FIG. 5 shows the valve opening adapter 50 alone, in order to guide the engaging pin 12 of the check valve 10 to the outer wall portion of the adapter main body cylinder 51 fitted to the adapter receiving cylinder 11 of the check valve 10. The guide groove 53 is formed, and a drive piece 54 that engages with the drive groove 15a of the valve body 15 projects from the head. Reference numeral 55 denotes a vent hole.

  FIG. 6 shows a state where the valve opening adapter 50 is being attached to and detached from the check valve 10, and the adapter body cylinder 51 of the valve opening adapter 50 is fitted on the adapter receiving cylinder 11 of the check valve 10. By introducing the engagement pin 12 of the check valve 10 into the guide groove 53 of the valve opening adapter 50, the valve opening adapter 50 is attached to and detached from the check valve 10, and is shown in FIG. As described above, the drive piece 54 of the valve opening adapter 50 is engaged with the drive groove 15 a of the check valve 10, so that the valve body 15 rotates around the axis together with the valve opening adapter 50.

  8, the guide groove 53 is bent at a right angle in the circumferential direction following the guide groove 53a through which the engagement pin 12 is guided in the axial direction, and the end rotated by the maximum rotation angle θ therefrom. A crank portion 53c is formed at an intermediate portion reaching the portion 53b. Such a crank portion 53 c moves the valve opening adapter 50 in the axial direction with respect to the check valve 10, but does not affect the opening / closing operation of the check valve 10.

  Thus, since the crank part 53c is formed in the intermediate part and the engagement pin 12 cannot pass therethrough at a stretch, the valve opening adapter 50 is illustrated in FIG. 6 when being removed from the check valve 10. The time for the forced open state is ensured for a certain time or more, and the inside of the endoscope can be made equal to the external atmospheric pressure by reliably introducing the outside air into the endoscope in the decompressed state.

  When the valve opening adapter 50 is rotated about the axis in the removing direction to the maximum rotation angle θ and the engagement pin 12 reaches the end 53b of the guide groove 53, the drive pin 19 is moved as shown in FIG. The forced closing state led to the pin contact portion 22b of the cam groove 22 is established.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in a state where the valve opening adapter 50 is removed from the check valve 10 and the check valve 10 is forcibly closed, the O-ring 16 attached to the valve body 15 is compressed coil spring. 17 is pressed against the valve seat 14a by the urging force of 17, and this state is maintained by the engagement between the drive pin 19 and the pin contact portion 22b of the cam groove 22.

  Therefore, in the state where the valve opening adapter 50 is not attached to the check valve 10, the check valve 10 does not open even if the pressure inside the endoscope is higher than the outside. Even if immersed, water leakage from the check valve 10 does not occur.

  FIG. 9 is configured by connecting the other end side of an air supply tube 60 having one end connected to a pressurizing pump (not shown) to a connection cylinder 51 ′ having the same shape as the adapter main body cylinder 51 of the valve opening adapter 50. The leak detection adapter is connected to the check valve 10.

  Since the connecting cylinder 51 ′ is provided with a drive piece 54 ′ similar to the valve opening adapter 50, the connecting cylinder 51 ′ is attached to the check valve 10 and rotated around the axis line to thereby turn the valve of the check valve 10. The body 15 rotates and thereby the drive pin 19 rotates.

  However, the guide groove 53 ′ formed in the connection cylinder 51 ′ for engaging with the engagement pin 12 is half as long as the guide groove 53 of the valve opening adapter 50 as shown in a development view in FIG. 10. Since the rotation angle is θ / 2, the check valve 10 is forcibly opened when the connecting cylinder 51 ′ is attached to the check valve 10.

  Therefore, if a pinhole or the like is generated in the outer wall portion of the endoscope by sending pressurized air from the check valve 10 into the endoscope through the air supply tube 60 in that state, bubbles are generated therefrom. You can see it coming.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the valve opening adapter is not attached to the check valve of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is an expanded view of the cam groove of the non-return valve of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is an external view which shows the whole structure of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the valve opening adapter was attached to the non-return valve of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is a side half sectional view of a valve opening adapter of an internal pressure adjusting device of an endoscope of an example of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the non-return valve is a forced open state in the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6 of the endoscope internal pressure adjusting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is an expanded view of the guide groove of the valve opening adapter of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the state in which the leak detection adapter was attached to the non-return valve of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the Example of this invention. It is an expanded view of the guide groove of the leak detection adapter of the internal pressure adjusting device of the endoscope of the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Check valve 12 Engagement pin 14a Valve seat 15 Valve body 16 O-ring 19 Drive pin 22 Cam groove 22b Pin contact part (closed state forced maintenance means)
50 Valve opening adapter 53 Guide groove 54 Drive piece

Claims (3)

A valve opening adapter is detachably attached to a check valve provided on the outer wall of an endoscope in which the outer wall that partitions the exterior is completely airtight, and the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve. In this state, the check valve is closed when the inside of the endoscope is at a lower pressure than the outside, and the check valve is opened when the inside of the endoscope is at a higher pressure than the outside, and the valve opening adapter is In the process of being removed from the valve, in the endoscope internal pressure adjusting device configured to forcibly open the check valve,
When the valve opening adapter is not attached to the check valve, the check valve is forced to prevent the check valve from opening even if the pressure inside the endoscope is higher than the outside. An internal pressure adjusting device for an endoscope, characterized in that a closed state forced maintaining means for maintaining the closed state is provided. The check valve has a cam groove for engaging with a drive pin connected to the valve body to open and close the valve body, and the valve opening adapter is attached to and detached from the check valve. The endoscope internal pressure adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein an engagement state between the drive pin and the cam groove is changed in accordance with an operation performed. In the state where the valve opening adapter is attached to the check valve, the cam groove does not forcibly regulate the position of the drive pin, and the valve opening adapter is being attached to or detached from the check valve. In the process, the position of the drive pin is forcibly restricted so that the check valve is open, and the check valve is closed when the valve opening adapter is removed from the check valve. The endoscope internal pressure adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein the endoscope is formed in a shape that forcibly regulates the position of the drive pin.

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